Embarrassingly Enough, ...

[Charles Doyle]

And speaking of epidemics of odd preposition use: Little by little over the past few years, my students seem to be globally replacing "in" with "within" ("Within sonnet 19, Milton alludes to . . ."). WHY, I wonder.

--Charlie
_____________________________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 06:40:25 -0700
>From: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
>
>I used to see this "default" use of "of" dismayingly often on undergraduate papers, certainly during the early '80s and very possibly from the time when I started teaching in 1976.
>
>JL
>
>James C Stalker <stalker at MSU.EDU> wrote: ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society
>Poster:       James C Stalker
>Subject:      Re: Embarrassingly Enough, ...
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>"Of" is becoming the default preposition.  I've been watching it for years,
>creeping in and devouring other prepositions.
>
>Some examples from students (Michigan State Univeristy, lingusitics
>classes):
>
>I define teasing as "joking with or poking fun of" another person.
>Oct, 1997
>
>The people of the stores did have poster board but did not understand what I
>was asking for and sent me to a different store.
>Mar, 98
>
>In Cleary and Linn's book, Linguistics for Teachers, give three reasons of
>why the spelling of English does not adhere to the alphabetic principle.
>Mar, 98
>
>I believe these ideas expressed of how to improve the language are needed
>because usage is already deteriorating at a fast pace.
>1984
>
>She was very self-conscious of her reading.
>2001
>
>Doug Harris writes:
>
>> I find this usage odd as well as unusual:
>> A sign seen this evening near Scranton PA, advertising
>> a company that does something to/for bathrooms:
>>
>> "[Are You] Embarrassed of Your Bathroom?"
>> --
>> Of?
>> 'Coulda been poetic license, I guess, though I think
>> they could have fit three more letters on the sign so
>> as to suggest embarrassment ~about~ one's bathroom.
>> (the other) doug
>>
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>
>
>
>James C. Stalker
>Department of English
>Michigan State University
>
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